Gas-generator.



No. 645,075. Patented Mar. I3, i900.

J. E. EVANS.

GAS GENERATOR.

(Application led Oct. 19, 189B.)

Mwf.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Mar. l2.,` |900.

J. E. EVANS.`

GAS GENERATOR.

(Application led Oct. 19, 1898.)

VIII/1111 IIIIIIIIIII| Junumr l lll/111711! ilNrrEn TATES JOSEPH E. EvANs, on BEDFORD, INDIANA;

eas-GENERATOR.

srEcrFrcArIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,075, dated March 1s, 196e'. Application filed October 19, 1898. Serial N. 693,983. (No model.)

To tZZ whom, t may conceive,-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. EVANS, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Bedford, in the county of Lawrence and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Gras- Generator, of which the following is a speciication.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for generating acetylene gas; and the objects of the invention are, first, to provide an improved machine which will notrequire recharging daily,but may be charged for the period of a Week or more, according to the consumption of the gas, without involving waste or loss of carbid; secondly, to provide means by which fresh active carbid may be presented to the attacking liquid and the spent or exhausted residue discharged from the carbid-drum, so that when the machine is not in active operation or the lights are not burning the damp residue will not come in contact with the active carbid and cause generation of the gas, thus involving waste of the carbid; thirdly, to provide means by which the dow of water may be regulated on a decrease in the quantity of gas stored inv the apparatus, and, fourthly, to provide means for cooling and condensing the gas as it traverses from the generator to the storage-tank.

With these ends in view the invention con-I sists in the novel combination of elements and in construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Toenable others to understand the invention, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this Specification, and in which- Figure l is a vertical sectional elevation of a gas-generator, illustrating my preferred construction. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the generator and a portion of the gasometer. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional elevation through the water-tank and the condenser on the plane indicated by the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through one type of the generator. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional View through the means for supporting one end of the Acarbid-drum and for rotating said drum.

Like numerals of reference denote like and corresponding parts in each of the several figures of the drawings.

The shell of the generator is indicated by the numeral l, and it has an open upper end or side. To this shell is united a ange 2,

which is disposed exteriorly to and concentric with the shell to provide an intermediate seal-chamber 3. The open end of theshell is closed by a head or cover 4, which is equipped with a depending flange 5, adapted to fit in the seal-chamber 3, so that the fiange 5 will be immersed in the liquid contained in the chamber 3, and the escape of gas from the generator will thus be prevented. This cover 4 has the laterally-extending arms 6, which are held in place by the fastener 7 of any suitable construction to detachably hold the cover 4 on the generator-shell. A bearing 8 is provided within the generator-shell on one side thereof, and on the opposite side of said Shell is secured a stuffing-box 9, which lies in the same horizontal plane as the bearing 8 to accommodate the journals of a rotatable carbid-drum. The Stufiing-box 9 is extended a suitable distance beyond one side of the generator-shell, and in its open protruding end is secured a gland l0, adapted in connection with the box to prevent escape of gas through the shaft-bearing that accommodates the actuating-shaft by which the carbid-drum is rotated.

The carbid-drum 1l is arranged with the generator-shell, and it is constructed with a plurality of slots or openings lla, which provide for the free ingress of the attacking liquid to the carbid and permit the ready escape of the exhausted or spent residue. `At one end this drum has a journal 12which is iitted to the bearin g S but at its other side said drum is provided with a journal 13, resting in the slotted or notched bearing 13a at the inner end of the stuffing-box 9, to support the drum rotatably within the shell l,said notched journal 13 receiving one end of the actuating rock-shaft 14. This rock-shaft 14 passes through the hanger and bearing 9 and the stuffing-box gland l0 to have one end thereof protrude beyond the machine for the application thereto of the means by which the shaft may be rocked on the vertical travel of the gasometerbell. The other end of this rock- IOO shaft is extended into the generator-shell and fitted loosely in the bearing portion of the stuffing-box 9, and to this shaft is connected the feed mechanism by Which the intermittent rocking motion of the shaft may be communicated to the drum to rotate the latter continuously in one direction. In the drawings I have represented this intermittent feed mechanism in the form of a ratchet 15, the pawls 16, the levers 17, land the links 16a. The levers are fitted loosely to the rock-shaft 14, and they carry the pivoted spring-pressed pawls 16, adapted to engage with the teeth of the ratchet 15, which has a sleeve 15, tixedon the rock-shaft by a clamping-nut 15b and the transverse pin 15. The links 161 are pivoted to the lever-arms 17 and to a stem or rod 58, which travels with the gasometer-bell, and on the travel of the bell the levers are actuated by the rod to make the pawls turn the ratchet, Which ratchet turns the shaft and the drum to agitate the carbid and insure the discharge of the spent residue from the active carbid.

The Water-supply tank to the generator is arranged above the shell 1, so that the Water on the opening of the valve will iow by gravity to the generator, and this supply-tank 18 is housed or contained Within a cooling and condensingitank 19, the upper end of the Water-tank 18 being open. (See Fig. 3.) The tank 19 is attached lirmly to a bracket or snpporting-arms 20, Which are fastened to the outside of a gasometer-tank, thus supporting the condensing and Water tanks above the generator. The Water tank is operatively connected Wit-h the generator-shell by a Water-pipe 21, the lower end of which passes through the head or cover 4 and is fastened to a sprayer or pipe 22, which is situated Within the generator immediately over the carbiddrum for the purpose of directing the Water in thin streams over the large area of the carbid. The upper end of the supply-pipe 21 is attached to the foot of the valve-casing 23, which is secured to the bottom of the Watertank 18, and this valve-casing has a seat 24 to accommodate a reciprocating controllingvalve. The stem of this controlling-valve is fitted loosely in an elongated guide-stem 25,- Which is erected vertically Within the supplytank, and said stem hasalongitndinal bore 26, a transverse recess 27, and a foot-iiange 28. The foot-Harige of this guide-stem is united or secured to the valve-casing 23 in a manner for the transverse recess 27 to communicate with the supply-tank 18, and through the bore 26 of said guide-stem passes the valve-stem 29, which is extended or carried through theJ heads of the supply and condensing tanks. This stem is guided to present the valve 30 therein accurately to the seat 24, and the guide-stem is provided with a collar 3l, having a binding-screw 32, by which it may be firmly normally depress the valve 30 lirmly to its seat, or a Weight may be attached to the valve-stem to depress said valve. The upper protruding end of the valve-stem is pivoted to one arm of the lever 34, fulcrumed to a post 35, fixed to the outside of a condensing-tank, and one end of this valve-lever is provided with an inclined arm 36, which is arranged adjacent to a slide-bar 37 to lie in the path of an actuating-pin 38, which is fastened to the slide-bar. Said slide-bar is loosely fitted to the keepers 39, fastened to the tank of the gasometer, and on the head of the gasometerbell is secured a horizontal arm 40, having a longitudinal slot 41, Which accommodates a bolt 42, that serves to attach the upper end of the slide-bar to the arm 40 for the purpose of making the slide-bar move vertically on the traveling play of the gasometer-bell.

The gas is conducted from the generator to a short pipe 43, having its respective ends attached to the head of the generator-shell and the bottom of the condensing-tank, and said pipe is equipped with a stop-cock 44, which normally remains open, but which may be ,closed to cut oft communication from the condensing-tank to the generator When the carbid-tank is to be recharged with fresh active carbid.

The gasometer-tank 45 is equipped With a non-conduction bottom 46, or it may be constructed with a conducting metallic bottom and a wooden subbase. Within this tank is arranged to travel a bell 48, and to the bell the gas is delivered by an inlet-pipe 49, which extends above the Water-line in the gasometer, and this inlet-pipe is coupled by a pipe 50 with the condensing-tank 19. The gas to be supplied to the burners is conveyed from the gasometer by an outlet-pipe 51, and Within said gasometer is disposed a ventpipe 52, which extends above the Water-line. The vent-pipe 52 is normally cut oit from communication with the gas-chamber of the gasometer by a valve-pipe 54, which is secured to the bell 48, and is telescopically fitted over the vent-pipe 52, so as to have the port 53 near its lower end normally immersed in the Water contained Within the tank 45.

The rock-shaft 14 is actuated by connections With the traveling bell 48, Which are Wholly independent of the means by Which the inlet-valve from the water-tank is controlled, and this actuating means consists of levers 16 and links 17. The levers 17 and links 16a are disposed in vertical positions alongside the gasometer and out of the path of the slide-bar 37 and the arm 36 of the valve-lever. The lever-arms and links are united pivotally, as at 59, and the upper ends of the links are attached to a vertical rod or bar 58, fastened. to the protruding end of the arm 40 on the traveling bell 48.

The operation is as follows: Active carbid having been charged in the drum, Water is supplied to the. tank 18 and the tank 45 and the valve in the pipe 43 is opened to place the ICO IIO

ISO

apparatus in the condition for service. As the gas-bell settles in the tank 45 the operating-pin 38 impinges against the valve-arm 36 to move the lever and lift the valve-stem against the tension of its depressing spring or weight. The elevation of the valve allows a limited quantity of water to passthrough the pipe 2l and be delivered by the sprayer over the drum and upon the active carbid therein. The chemical decomposition of the water and carbid, due to the water attacking the carbid, immediately generates acetylene gas, which escapes from the drum and the generator-shell through the pipe 43 into the condensing-tank. The gas impinges against the cold walls of the water-tank 18 and is thereby cooled and its moisture condensed. The gas then passes through the pipe into the pipe 49 and thence to the bell of the gasometer. As the volume of gas increases in the bell 48 the latter is raised and lifts the slide-bar to retract the operating-pin from the arm of the valve-lever, thus allowing the spring to force the valve toits seat and prevent the continued iiow of water to the generator. The generation of gas is arrested after the iiow of water has been cut oif, but when the supply of gas in the bell is reduced by consumption at the burners the bell again settles by gravity in the tank, and the pin 38 is allowed to ride against the valve-arm to open the valve and admit another volume of water to the generator, this operation being continued indefinitely until the carbid shall have become exhausted. As the gas -bell travels vertically the rod 5S actuates the levers to rock the shaft 14, and the motion of the shaft is communicated by the feed mechanism to the rotatable drum. The drum is thus actuated to present fresh active carbid to the water supplied by the sprayer, and the turning of the drum agitates the carbid therein, so as to cause the spent carbid to escape through the slots or openings and accumulate in thebottom of the generator-shell. In the event of excessive accumulation of gas in the bell 48 the latter is raised to a height sufficient to insure the withdrawal of the` valve-pipe 54 from the water seal, thereby opening the port 53 to the vent-pipe 52 and permitting the gas to escape to said ventpipe until the volume of gas shall have been reduced and allow the bell to settle in the tank and cause its pipe 54 to be again immersed in the water. i

While I have shown and described the feed mechanism between `the rock-shaft and the carbid-drum as embodied in the form of a ratchet and pa-wl, I do not desire to strictly confine myself to this specific mechanism, as I am aware that mechanical equivalents can be substituted therefor.

In my 4apparatus the generation of gas is arrested shortly after the water-supply is cut off, because the spent residue is discharged from the fresh carbid. The capacity of the gasometerbell is sufcient to receive and store the gas which may be generated after the water-supply to the carbid is cut off.

The generator-tank is provided with a trap 60 to collect the moisture from the spent wet residue which accumulates in said tank below the carbid-drum, and this trap has a filtering agent 6l, of stone orother material, over the mouth of the trap and inside of the generatortank, so as to allow the moisture to pass through such agent and enter the trap, while keeping the residue out of the trap.

The preferred construction ofthe generator is shown by Fig. 1, and it consists of a suspended upper section 62 and a lower removable section 63. The upper generator-section 62 is suspended by the pipes 2l 43, and it con- 4tains the water-seal space for the removable bed or cover and the supports for the carbiddrum. The lower section 63 is supported in close relation to lthe upper section 62, and it contains a short shell 64, adapted to form a water-seal chamber 65, which receives the shell of the generator-section 62. A valve drain-pipe 66 is connected to the shell 2 of the upper water seal'4, and a similar valved drain-pipe 67 is provided for the lower sealchamber 65.

In the practical operation of the apparatus it is desirable that water be prevented from accumulating in the gas inlet, outlet, and

vent pipes 49, 5l, and 52, respectively, so as to obviate excessive pressure on the machine. Ordinarily water will collectin the angles of this pipe, and when an excessive accumulation occurs the uniform operation of` the ape paratus is seriously interfered with. To obviate this difficulty, I prefer to fit to each of the pipes 49, 51, and 52, at the bottom portions or elbows thereof, the water-seal traps 70. These traps are of the ordinary gooseneck formation and remain partially filled with water, so as to prevent the escape of gas therefrom, while at the same time serving to collect water that may accumulate in the lower portions or angles of pipes referred to IOO IIO

and to discharge excessive accumulations of water exterior to the pipes, thereby serving to keep the pipes always perfectly free of water and open to the free passage of gas therethrough.

In order to steady the rise and fall of the gas-bell 48, I preferably fasten todiametrically-opposite sides of the water-tank of the gasometer thel oppositely located upright guide-rods 7l. These guide-rods are rigidly fastened to the tank 45 by any suitable fastening devices and in positions so as not to interfere with any of the working parts of the apparatus, and said guide-rods 7l extend a distance abovethe top of the water-tank 45 and are engaged by the guide-rollers 72, journaled in the brackets 73, fastened to the -top of the gas-bell 48 and projecting beyond the sides of said bell at opposite points. The rods 7l and rollers 72 maintain the vertical alinement of the gas-bell 48 and insure a uniform up-and-down movement thereof.

Changes may be made in the form of some of the parts, While their essential features are retained and the spirit of the invention embodied. Hence I do not desire to be limited to the precise form of all the parts as shown, reserving the right to vary therefrom.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is l. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination with a generator havinga carbid-receptacle, of an elevated Water-tank, a valve fixed therein and having a prolonged guidestem, a Water-pipe leading from the valve and connected'to a sprayerwithin the generator, a valve-stem guidedby the guide-stem and carrying a spring-pressed collar, a valve-lever` fulcrumed on the Water-tank and connected to the stem and having an inclined arm, a gasbell, a slide-rod attached to the gas-bell and an actuating-pin carried by the slide-rod and varran ged to impinge against the inclined arm of the valve-lever, substantially as described.

2. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, a generator having a receptacle for the spent carbid, and a moisture-trap connected with said receptacle and provided Withva filtering agent, substantially as described.

3. An acetylene-gas generator comprisinga tank having Within its chamber the oppositely-located bearings, one of said bearings being in communication with an external stuffing-box, 0, a revoluble carbid-drum provided With trunnions which are fitted in and removable from said bearings,one of' said trunnions having asocket in the plane ofthe stuffing-box, an operating-shaft passing through the stuffing-box and fitted detachably to the socketed drum-trunnion, a ratchet Xed-to the protruding end of the operating-shaft, the oppositely-inclined levers fitted loosely at their inner ends on the operating-shaft, the alternately-operative paWls carried by said levers in engagement with opposite sides of the ratchet, a reciprocating bell-actuated Y rod, and links connecting said rod to the outer ends of the paWl-levers, substantially as described.

4. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a chamber provided with a carbid-container, an

. elevated gas-circulating' tank, aWater-cistern the circulation of gas .which is adapted to impinge against the cooled walls of the cistern for condensation of the aqueous vapors in the gas, awater-pipe leading from the bottoni of the cistern, across the gasespace of the tank, and connected to the generator-chamber, a valved branch connection from the generator-chamber to the circulating-chamber of the elevated tank, a gas-pipe coupled to the tank to communicate with the gas-circulating space therein, and a trip-actuated valve mechanism for controlling the iiow of Water from the cistern to the water-pipe, substantially as described.

5; An acetylene-gas generator comprising an open-ended shell provided at its upper end with an extern all y-offset flange forming a sealchamber, a flanged cover fitted to the upper open end of the shell for its flange to enter the seal-chamber thereof, means for removablyconuecting said shell and cover together, a Waste-receptacle having an external ange also forming a seal-chamber and fitted to the lower open end of the shell for the latter to enter said seal chamber, a carbid drum mounted in the shell between the sealed cover and the sealed Waste vessel, a water-pipe attached to the cover, and a gas-pipe also connected to the lever, substantially as described.

6. An acetylene-gas apparatus comprising a gasometer,a closed generator-tank equipped with a revoluble carbid-drum, an operatingshaft journaled on said generator-tank and coupled to said drum, a bracket-arm fixed to the generator-bell to travel vertically therewith, a vertical slide-bar guided on the gasometer-tank and attached to said bracketarm to travel with the bell, a drum-rod also attached to the bracket-arm to move in unison with the bell and slide-bar, a ratchet-feed mechanism operatively connecting the drumrod with the shaft of the carbid-drum, a source of water-supply, a valved Water-inlet between the Water-supply and the generator-tank, and trip devices between the slide-bar and the valve of the Water-inlet to openthe latter after the carbid-drum shall have been rotated bythe ratchet-feed mechanism, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH E. EVANS.

Witnesses:

CLAUDE E. COX, GEORGE C. IsMUNGER.

.IOC 

